There is already a number of signaling devices to draw attention in emergencies or accidents in traffic as well as on the high seas such as, for example, permanently installed or portable emergency blinkers, triangular warning signs, signal cartridges or emergency flares and the like. However, most known devices have the great disadvantages of being relatively large and perhaps even bulky and being dependent on an external energy source such as, for example, electric batteries of the electrical system of an automobile. But experience has shown that, particularly in the case of accidents, external energy sources cannot be counted on. It has furthermore been found time and again that in the case of water accidents involving small boats or surfers possibly available emergency signal devices were not usable because they could not be carried on the body of the victim due to their size and weight and were thus not or no longer available at the time of the accident. There has been no lack of attempts to develop relatively small and easily operable signal devices which could be carried without problems while performing a multitude of tasks. For example, a signal flag for emergencies at sea is known from German Utility Model No. 85 29 692 which is characterized by the flagstaff consisting of interconnected parts which can be folded towards the case forming a housing for keeping the folded flagstaff and the flag fastened thereon. However, the device described in this utility model has the disadvantage that the signal flag, in spite of the striking coloration of the flag, often is hard to see during emergencies at sea, for example, if the accidents occur in fog or rain squalls.
Furthermore, the device is of relatively large size so that it cannot be carried by, for example, surfers, since they feel themselves hampered in their activities by the size and weight of the device. Furthermore it has been found that such devices are of little use in emergency situations on land, and especially in traffic, since they must be held by someone, but the rescuer must have his hands free in emergency situations as a rule and should not be hampered by the signal flag.